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Summary

An oval hillslope enclosure of probable prehistoric date is visible on images derived from lidar data as an earthwork on the west-facing slopes overlooking the River Yarty, south of Webble Green Cross. Previously partly identified and interpreted as a field boundary of medieval date.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HILLSLOPE ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2200 BC (Between) to 409 AD (Between))
• (Former Type) FIELD BOUNDARY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

The visible earthworks do not correspond with any depicted field boundaries.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

The visible earthworks largely do not correspond with any depicted field boundaries; an exception is visible in the south-east quadrant of the enclosure.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2315-2316 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A pale curvilinear cropmark and slight earthwork bank were visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST2505 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

A curvlinear earthwork bank was visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

A curvilinear bank approximately 10 metres wide and up to circa 110 metres long was visible on aerial photographs of 1947 as a pale cropmark of a bank and a subtle earthwork north of West Barn Farm, Membury parish.
The visible feature does not match any boundary depicted on the 19th century maps available to the survey although it was broadly in keeping with the historic character of the surrounding field pattern. It has been interpreted as the near levelled and spread remains of a former field boundary, probably of medieval origin, that was removed prior to the late 19th-century.
It remains visible as a subtle earthwork on digital images derived from lidar captured between 1998 to 2014.

Environment Agency, 2021, University of Exeter Understanding Landscapes Project - Lidar visualisation (Cartographic). SDV366001.

A curvilinear bank with flanking ditches is visible as an earthwork.

Hegarty, C., 2025, Comment on Unlocking Landscapes project and related lidar and aerial photograph interpretations (Interpretation). SDV366411.

A curvilinear bank with flanking ditches is visible as an earthwork on images derived from lidar data enclosing an oval area approximately 290m long west to east and 175m wide, north to south on the west-facing slopes overlooking the River Yarty, south of Webble Green Cross. As described by Horner, the earthwork is most clearly visible on the north-west, west and south-west sides, where the bank measures 5m to 10m, with greater plough damage probably accounting for the greater width to the south-west. In these areas the earthwork does not correspond to boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Membury. The bank and ditch does appear to have been partly incorporated within the historic field pattern on the south-east side. The later 19th century removal of this boundary may account for the poor earthwork condition in this quadrant. Previously partly identified and recorded as a former field boundary of probable medieval date, the earthwork is more likely to be the remains of a large hillslope enclosure of Bronze Age to Roman date.

Horner, B., 2025, Lidar interpretation (Personal Comment). SDV366415.

Possible large hillslope enclosure. Almost complete circuit visible as bank and ditch on north-west, west and south-west sides. Fainter on south-east. Do not match Tithe Map field boundaries. South-west side also shows on RAF 1940s AP. Centre removed by marl pit.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2315-2316 11-APR-1947.
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST2505 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV366001	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2021. University of Exeter Understanding Landscapes Project - Lidar visualisation. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital.
SDV366411	Interpretation: Hegarty, C.. 2025. Comment on Unlocking Landscapes project and related lidar and aerial photograph interpretations. Not Applicable.
SDV366415	Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 2025. Lidar interpretation. Not Applicable.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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